89-81: Spain passes as leader and avoids the Bahamas until the final

The choice of Spanish He lived to the wire for almost three quarters in his match against Angolabut the persistence despite the mistake from the three-point line and the success of Santi Aldama and Willy Hernangómez They eliminated a gray and ugly game (89-81) for those Sergio Scariolothat They made it through the pre-Olympic semis and avoided the Bahamas until the final.

Spain was very uncomfortable throughout the game. Nor could he receive a rhythm, or a streak that would allow him to separate himself from the African team, coached by the Catalan. Pep Clarosand though he did not put himself first at any time, he did not let the Spaniards flow.

Just put it together Alberto Díaz, Rudy Fernández, Santi Aldama and Jaime Pradilla in the same quintet at the beginning of the last quarter allowed Spain to dominate from the defense, play with Dario Brizuela as an agitator and that the shots that were released, especially from Rudy, they can get there more easily. This is how you got therea slight advantage of eight points that Spain was able to stretch to win 89-81 and overcome the vigor of the Angolan physique.

With that formula, Scariolo unraveled the second match in the group stage of the pre-Olympic with no option for confusion, because Defeat will force Spain to finish as runners-up and face the fearsome Bahamas next Saturday. None of that will happen and Spain’s semi-final rival will emerge from the winner of the match between Finland and Polandavoiding three NBA -Eric Gordon, Buddy Hield and DeAndre Ayton- until a hypothetical final.

But at least it served as a lesson and made a few things clear: A percentage of three – three out of fifteen at half-time and eight out of twenty-five at the end – continues as a pending subject, The low post defense still has a lot of room for improvement and such physical teams continue as they should after many years.

And, without making great appearances, Angola limited itself to doing what it knows: defending the rim and being good in the low post with Jilson Bango, Silvio de Sousa and Bruno Fernando. It was certainly a bad game for a team that had no way to defend the ‘big’ rival and that yesterday, without Juancho Hernangómez, was forced to play with Santi Aldama in the ‘four’, paired with Fernando .

It wasn’t bad. In fact, yesIt can be said that Santi Aldama, with seven points in the first five minutes, marked the team’s offensive path and Willy Hernangómez also led the way.. From their hands came 29 of the 46 points of the first half (46-43) where all the shortcomings of a team that did not suffer anything against Lebanon and that had to row at one point in the group stage appears when things get tough.

Only a defensive and physical quintet that ended up matching the level of intensity in the low post, finding transitions and separating itself, little by little, from a massive Angola gave Scariolo’s team ease. with a lot to improve to get a ticket to Parisbut learned a lot after overcoming the ferocity of the African team.

Data sheets

89.- Spain (22+24+22+21): Brown (9), Llull (7), López-Arostegui (-), Aldama (24), W. Hernangómez (22) – starting five – Pradilla (7), Rudy Fernández (6), Brizuela (9), A. Díaz (-) and Garuba (5).

81.- Angola (17+26+16+22): Dundao (11), Miguel (11), Macachi (2), Bango (15), Fernando (12) – starting five – Neto (-), Goncalves (7), Francisco (5), Fernandes (-), Gakou ( 3), De Sousa (12) and Pereira (3).

Referees: Vázquez (PUR), Batista (PUR) and Mikheyev (KAZ). They removed the Spanish Pradilla (m.35).

Incidents: match equivalent to the second day of the Valencia Pre-Olympic Tournament played at La Fonteta before 4,581 spectators.